Added wall squats in the warm-up, saw immediate effect in the main session, no forward lean.
I seem to be descending too slow and using up too much energy, also messing with my proprioception and depth. I'll play with stance width followed by descent approach next session and see which works best.
Bench felt good today, bar speed was good, technique is improving and I'm finally able to get the lats in for the first rep too although more practice needed.
Relearning benching on my toes, I need to dia-lin using leg drive to pop the bar off the chest.
Not enough sleep made everything felt just a little heavier than it was supposed to be
I'm debating whether I should throw the knee sleeves back on...but I'm torn. I get some assistance out of them but I'd rather keep bare for now and throw the sleeves on later.
Sumo wrote: ↑Sat Apr 14, 2018 4:06 amI'm debating whether I should throw the knee sleeves back on...but I'm torn. I get some assistance out of them but I'd rather keep bare for now and throw the sleeves on later.
I feel like I get maybe 5lbs of assistance out of mine, but my knees are just so much happier from the warmth and compression. Any particular reason you want to keep bare for now?
Sumo wrote: ↑Sat Apr 14, 2018 4:06 amI'm debating whether I should throw the knee sleeves back on...but I'm torn. I get some assistance out of them but I'd rather keep bare for now and throw the sleeves on later.
I feel like I get maybe 5lbs of assistance out of mine, but my knees are just so much happier from the warmth and compression. Any particular reason you want to keep bare for now?
I probably get more at lighter weight and about 5-10 at heavier weight, but I feel it's highly dependant on squatting style. If you're the dive bomber you'll probably get a little more because of the bounce at the bottom, whereas a slow/controlled squat would get less assistance.
The reason I'm torn is mostly because that I feel a noticeable difference in my squat when I don't have them on, I feel "weaker" I guess. If I leave them off for now and work without them, getting stronger without them, when I throw them on I might get a bigger return for my buck. That being said, if I do use them now and work with the assistance they provide, that 5-10lbs difference means I can execute a lift perfectly as opposed to a slight form breakdown without them...
simonrest wrote: ↑Sun Apr 15, 2018 2:57 am
I can’t lift without sleeves. I don’tthink I get a weight increase from them, but I certainly get better form and a better knee position.
I really like the warmth and support, but I can feel the difference with and without sleeves. I suppose if you've formed the habit to squat in sleeves it would feel weird doing it without, just like any other piece of equipment.
Week 20, Day 1
Meet prep begins! 20 weesk to go, and if everything goes smoothy I might do a second meet right after. I'll decide sometime through this prep after I get a feel for how things are1 going.
Monday, April 16
SETS
REPS
WEIGHT
Front Squat
1
4
55
1
4
73
3
4
91
Bench press
1
5
53
1
4
63
1
3
74
4
2
79
Back Squat
1
3
100
1
3
119
4
2
137
Lying Cable Flyes
4
8
15
Ab Wheel
3
10
Meet prep starts, yay! well not reslly, I relly didn't feel like getting in the gym tonight. That being said, it's days like this where I really push myself to go in and do it, habit.
Front squats felt really good, changed grip position slightly and it's made a big difference. I have an issue with one of my clavicles sticking out a bit more than the other and the bar really hammers it in a front rack position.
Benching really clicked tonight. I need to work on my setup a little more, but the mono attachments are the best garage gym purchase ever.
Still deciding how i feel about back squats tonight. I played around with stance width a little, I just wasn't feeling it. I suppose this is a result of not being able to squat with a bar on my back for 3 months, I have to relearn a few things.
Sumo wrote: ↑Mon Apr 16, 2018 5:29 amif everything goes smoothy I might do a second meet right after.
When you say "right after", how soon are you talking? I can tell you from experience that the next day is a bad idea.
Oh God no, I wouldn't think of touching a heavy barbell inside the first week after a meet let alone the next day. It'll be 4 weeks after if I do decide to do it.
Back from holidays! Took the family down to the south coast to meet up with my brother and his family. Not as relaxing as I was hoping for, but it was good
We arrived back home yesterday and I got stuck straight into it. I certainly recovered a fair bit, the weights felt light and everything moved fast.
Wednesday, April 25
SETS
REPS
WEIGHT
Bench Press w/chains plus 8-10kg
1
3
53
1
3
63
5
3
74
Deadlift w/pause 5-7cm below knees
1
3
108
1
3
129
1
3
151
5
2
161
Low Pulley - Neutral Grip Partial Rear Delt Rows + Single Arm DB rows
Starting to dial-in my bench grip now, I've been at it for the last few months trying to land on what feels best in terms of grip width and how I grip the bar as well.
So far pinkie & ring finger on the first ring feels best, I'll give it another month or so until I decide on either one.
Bulldog grip seems to be a winner for my bar grip so far, now I just need to consistently place the bar in the same part of my hand.
Squats
I've noticed since I started into higher frequency squatting, that I I'm lacking a little in keeping rigid durin squats, enter the frankenstein grip front squats. I'll be using these for the next few training blocks to hopefully remedy the issue.
Vanilla, light weight, easy reps, felt like recovery rather than work.
That's the idea considering the assistance volume and bench intensity from last night.
DEADLIFT
I've been making an effort to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night for the past week, and it's showing.
The groove was there, explosive, it moved like butter and felt like a warm-up across all sets.
I noticed my hips/pelvis roll out from under me during a few reps, which would explain the slight lower back hyperextension. I'll be paying closer attention to it, make sure I tuck the hips and push them in
simonrest wrote: ↑Sat Apr 28, 2018 4:49 am
What is the meet?
Battle of the East in September, it's a GPC meet. The goal is to post a high enough total to get an invite to GPC Nats in 2019, and be assured that I won't miss out, then I'll hit up an APU meet in early 2019 as well. If things go to plan, and based on this year's totals in the 67.5, I will have a very good shot at ensuring I don't miss out. Also, I get the total this year it means I don't need to do GPC States next year and there's one less thing to worry about, and more time to build.
I wanted to give myself significant prep for this meet, time which will hopefully translate into being 100% by then. With the bulged disk accident from before Christmas, I want to take things slow and no rush. I'd say I'm somewhere around 90% of the way to being fully rehabed, but I don't see the sense of pushing into something sooner and risk getting injured. With the lengthy prep I have the time to keep healing and strengthening the weak areas and get stronger as well.
